Posted on 10/07/2007 7:46:08 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
Report: Steinbrenner says Torre's job on the line against Indians
ESPN.com news services
As the Yankees stand on the brink of elimination in the first round of the playoffs for the third season in a row, owner George Steinbrenner says longtime manager Joe Torre needs his team to advance to the ALCS if he wants to keep managing the club.
"His job is on the line," Steinbrenner told The Bergen Record. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."
Torre makes $7 million a season and is in the final year of his contract.
The Cleveland Indians lead the Yankees 2-0 in their American League Division Series.
In Sunday's Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, Roger Clemens will take the mound for New York while Jake Westbrook will start for Cleveland.
During his 12 years leading the Yankees, Torre has taken the Bronx Bombers to 12 consecutive playoff appearances and four World Series titles.
"He's been good for us over the years," Steinbrenner acknowledged to the paper.
Steinbrenner also had some choice words about retiring veteran umpire Bruce Froemming and his decision to play through the late-game bug infestation during Friday's Game 2 extra-inning victory for the Indians.
"The umpire was full of [expletive]," Steinbrenner told the paper. "He won't umpire our games anymore."
The wide-ranging interview with The Bergen Record also touched on Alex Rodriguez's future and Steinbrenner's health.
"I think we'll re-sign him," Steinbrenner said of A-Rod. "I think he's going to have a good run the rest of the [postseason]. I think he realizes New York is the place to be, the place to play. A lot of this [postseason] is laying on his shoulders, you know, but I think he's up to it."
The 77-year-old owner, who told the paper he maintains full control over the Yankees, downplayed reports of his ill health.
"I'm doing all right," he told The Record. "I'm fine."
The last time I heard Steinbrenner speak he was almost completely incoherent and had a very confused look on his face -- senile beyond belief (unless he's afflicted with some other medical problem we don't know about). And that was over a year ago, so I doubt he even knows who's managing the team on most days.
Anyway it looks like if the Yanks don't win three straight their last year playing in The House That Ruth Built (next year) will be with a new manager. ....perhaps Don Mattingly. Today could be the last playoff game ever played in Yankee Stadium. Lotta stories in that place -- 26 World Series titles.
I didn't realize that the Yank-offs had veto power over who umpires their games. Might explain a few things.
I would rather the Yankees lose this series in five games than three. I hope all the games go extra innings and both pitching staffs get maxed out.
Yeah not exactly the way I’d want to send off my team on the day of a do or die game.
That was my hope as well but if Roger gets bounced early the Yanks will be in big trouble seeing how lousy their middle relief is and how quiet their bats have been thus far this series.
Carbona didn't seem to let the bugs bother him.
Yeah I understand that, but there would be no reason for Steinbrenner to communicate that threat without feeling he had some power over who will umpire their games. Basically George was saying “he was f’d up so he can’t umpire our games anymore”.
How much did they pay this over-the-hill clown to pitch this year? It would be so sweet to see him get "yanked" in the 2nd inning. You gotta know they are going to fight with everything they've got, so the Tribe better bring it!
Will A-Fraud get a hit in this series?
Not as much as their third basemen. It'll be interesting to see what kind of reaction he receives from the Yankee faithful tonight during his first at bat.
They said the same thing after last year’s crash and burn in Detroit.
I think A-Rod and his agent would have just preferred that the Yankees didn’t make the post season this year just to avoid this exact scenario from unfolding yet again.
This series feels almost identical to the one last year against the Tigers.
Ya know because of this prospect of him getting roundly raspberried, I'm almost as excited about seeing this game tonight as the Redsox game!
I actually like A-Rod and know he is a fabulous player, but I would sit his ass on the bench in a heartbeat during the playoffs, because his record is so miserably abysmal.
Has he gotten a singal hit yet during the PO's?
The Tigers had a stellar year in a lot of respects. Polanco set an all time record of most consecutive plays without an error. Ordonez topped the major league batting average with Polanco finishing in 3rd. Curtis Granderson got 20 triples, 20 doubles, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen bases. The Tiger bullpen was crippled this year without Rogers and Zumaya for most of the season. Even so, Verlander carried the bullpen very well and even got himself a no hitter.
Last year they were the hunters and this year they were the hunted. In any case they still managed to manhandle the Yanks in most of the games they played this season.
Wouldn’t bugs have a much bigger impact on the hitters rather than the pitchers??
Heck the Yankees had him batting 7th at the end of that Detroit series last year.
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